WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. (JUNE 2, 2017)-- Members of the public, community innovators, and municipal leaders are invited to attend “Mapping the Future”-- a charrette and public meeting to discuss and plan the future of the Okeechobee Corridor. This four-day interactive event, which invites stakeholders to bring ideas and map solutions, kicks-off on Monday, June 12 from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.

Gabe Klein--nationally known cities expert, co-founder of CityFi, and TEDx speaker--will headline the kick-off event and set the stage for the forum. Alta Planning + Design, tasked with conducting the City’s mobility study, will present initial findings. Klein will then open the floor to public discussion and collaboration, as attendees will be split into groups and challenged to design ideal solutions for infrastructure concerns. The hands-on activity is intended to spark inspiration and provide real solutions. Alta Planning + Design will give serious consideration to all proposed solutions and incorporate the ideas into their findings on Thursday, June 15.

“We are so pleased to have a nationally-recognized expert like Gabe Klein working toward solutions on behalf of the City of West Palm Beach,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio. “We encourage anyone who has a voice and a vested interest in the vibrant downtown community to join us - come for one day, or come for them all, but please make sure that your voice is heard.”

Klein will kick off the charrette by sharing his experiences as the former Commissioner of the Chicago and Washington, D.C. Departments of Transportation. In both cities, he revamped technology platforms and government processes while focusing on putting people first. He honed his creativity and leadership skills working in business, including Zipcar, where he served as Vice President for four years; Bikes USA, where he served as the national Director of Stores; and his own electric powered, organic food truck chain, On The Fly. He is a consultant who works on behalf of Alta Planning + Design, the urban design agency analyzing the City’s future mobility.

On Tuesday, June 13 and Wednesday, June 14, the public is welcome to visit the convention center to track progress during “Creating the Vision.” The meetings will be open from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., and a team of engineers and city planners will be onsite to listen and provide feedback on the forum.

On the final evening, the mobility experts, with input from the community, will be “Presenting the Vision.” The design team will unveil the ideas and concepts developed during the charrette and share actionable next steps for the future of mobility in the City of West Palm Beach.

The City of West Palm Beach is embarking on a bold initiative to enhance and improve how people move in the City. The initiative and its supporting planning efforts will serve as a road map to create a modern, well-balanced transportation network that provides mobility choices that are engaging and efficient. During the last several months, the City has engaged the following stakeholders: Metropolitan Planning Organization, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, Palm Beach County, Florida Department of Transportation, Town of Palm Beach, Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, homeowner, condo and neighborhood organizations, and Florida Atlantic University.

All events will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, second floor room 2B. To preregister for these events, please email: mobility@wpb.org. To learn more about the City's mobility study, visit www.wpbmobility.com. To learn more about Gabe Klein, please visit http://www.gabeklein.com/.

Official West Palm Beach Mobility and Okeechobee Boulevard Corridor Study Charrette Schedule of Events:
· Monday, June 12 – 5:30 – 8 p.m.
“Mapping the Future”
Gabe Klein will kick off the four-day charrette as he shares his experiences as the former Commissioner of the Chicago and Washington D.C. Departments of Transportation, in addition to sharing insights into the City’s Okeechobee Corridor Study. In both cities, he revamped technology platforms and government processes while focusing on putting people first, versus automobiles on city streets. Klein is co-founder of CityFi, former ZipCar executive, renowned author and TEDx speaker.

After addressing attendees, Alta Planning + Design will present the findings of the Okeechobee Boulevard Corridor Study. Findings will include data on traffic patterns and the people who live, work and play in West Palm Beach.

Attendees will then begin the charrette portion of the evening, breaking into small groups and challenged to come up with solution-oriented suggestions for the City’s infrastructure. They will share their ideas with the engineers and city planners to consider and viable options will be incorporated into the final report, to be presented to the public on Thursday.

· Tuesday, June 13 – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
“Creating the Vision”
Give one-on-one feedback to city planners, engineers, designers and community leaders and hear about the progress and discussion thus far.

· Wednesday, June 14 – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
“Creating the Vision”
Give one-on-one feedback to city planners, engineers, designers and community leaders and hear about the progress and discussion thus far.

· Thursday, June 15 – 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
“Presenting the Vision”
The design team will unveil the ideas and concepts developed during the charrette, sharing actionable next steps for the future of mobility in the City of West Palm Beach.

CITY CENTER

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